Plan of the Fortress of St. Sebastian

Plan of the Fortress of St. Sebastian 

Samuel John Neele, 1818 

Copper engraving 

George Landmann (1779-1854) was born in Woolwich, educated at the Royal Military Academy and served with the Royal Engineers, specialising in fortifications. From 1805 he saw action in Portugal and Spain under Sir Arthur Wellesley, later Duke of Wellington, and Sir John Moore, and held commissions as Lieutenant-Colonel and Colonel in the Spanish army. On retirement he worked as a civil engineer and promoted the design and construction of the London and Greenwich Railway.  

His memoir of the Peninsular War includes this very detailed plan of the siege of San Sebastián-Donostia (July-September 1813), engraved by one of London’s leading map makers, Samuel John Neele (1758-1824). Wellington was determined to evict the last of the French forces from Spain, but an earlier siege was unsuccessful. During the final assault, led by Sir Thomas Graham, the allied forces razed the town to the ground.  

Title (on the plate): Plan of the Fortress of St. Sebastian. Shewing the Attack carried on by the British and Portuguese in 1813, with the Country around connected with the operations. Siege commenced July 11th. Town carried by assault 31st Aug[ust] and Castle surrender’d 9th Sept[embe]r. 

Author/Artist: Samuel John Neele (1758-1824). 

Technique and Material: Copper engraving. 

Dimensions: 372 x 494 mm. 

Published: George Thomas Landmann, Historical, military, and picturesque observations on Portugal: illustrated by seventy-five coloured plates. Two volumes. London: T Cadell and W Davies, 1818. Volume 1, facing page 589. 

Date: 1818. 

Marks and Inscriptions: lower edge, centre: ‘London. Published by T. Cadell & H. Davies Strand’; right: ‘Neele sc[ulpsit] Strand’. 

Institution: Foyle Special Collections Library, King’s College London.